Moments In Between
by maddie-mira
Summary: There are things we don't hear about in Ali and Jim's adventure. These are the moments in between. A collection of oneshots set in the context of Solace and Other Gems.
1. In Which Morph Has An Adventure

**Hi all! This is the first in a series of oneshots related to my Treasure Planet fanfic "Solace and Other Gems." Each of these oneshots takes place in the world and context of Solace, with no particular connection or chronological order to them. The next oneshot could be set years after this one, or months before it; who knows!**

 **I recommend listening to the Russian Dance music from the Nutcracker Ballet when Morph starts getting involved with the vendor; the song is a classic soundtrack to any shenanigans, if you ask me. I've posted a link to a recording of it on my profile.**

 **Now then, read on!**

Morph squeaked in delight from his spot on Ali's shoulder, trying to look everywhere at once. He loved open-air markets; there was always so much going on. All around were stalls full of tempting food, people moving around, delicious smells wafting through the air.

Ali giggled at the little blob's excitement. "Ok Morph, Jim and I have some grocery shopping to do. You can either tag along with us or have your own look around."

Morph chittered affectionately, licking Ali's cheek before zooming off through the market.

Ali shook his head. "I hope he'll be all right."

"He'll be fine." Jim took her hand and gave it a squeeze, trying to reassure her.

"He's so mischievous, though. What if something happens?"

"Morph knows how to handle himself. He can get into trouble sometimes; but even he has his limits."

ooOoo

Morph zipped through the air, still chittering his excitement. There was so much he could do; what looked like fun?

He stopped as he heard the sound of laughter. Three kids were running around the town square, kicking a bright red ball back and forth. Their movements were lively, eyes bright as they played their game.

One of them gave an extra hard kick to the ball, and suddenly it was airborne. It flew through the air, heading straight for a stall full of fresh produce, and hit the stall's vendor square in the face. Morph giggled at the sight. The burly man, however, was not amused.

"You little brats!" He shouted at the now dismayed children, waving a fist covered in black spots. "Why don't you watch where you aim!"

"Sorry, mister," One of the children said nervously. "Can we have our ball back now? We promise to be careful."

The man picked up the toy, still scowling. Morph could see sharp fangs peeking out of his mouth, teeth that belonged on a jungle cat. "I can't have you messing up my merchandise. You're not getting this back anytime soon. If you're lucky, you can come back later with your parents and I'll return it to them."

The children started to protest, but a glare and a growl from the man silenced them. Heads down, they began to walk away.

Morph's mouth dropped open as he watched the vendor drop the ball into a cardboard box inside the stall, and then return to his work. Searching for the children, he spotted them already a good distance away. He hastily flew after them.

As he neared them, he heard sniffles and little sobs, and realized that they were crying. Though Morph didn't have what humans would call a heart, something inside him ached to see the children so sad. Putting on a burst of speed, he steered himself to hover right in front of them, squeaking.

Their sobs halted as they stared at him, eyes wide. Morph squeaked again, and then greeted them in his high-pitched voice. "Hiya!"

The children's eyes widened further. The one on the left raised her hand and gave a small wave. "Hi," she said shyly.

They were all smiling now; but Morph could still see them sniffling and wiping at their eyes. He would have to fix that. His gelatinous body spun around, and he felt the familiar shift of particles as he morphed. Now an exact replica of the red ball, he bounced high above the children's heads, making them squeal in delight. He came back to the ground, and let one child pick him up.

The children were mindful of the fact that he was a living creature, playing catch with him instead of kicking him around. The advantage with this game was that they wouldn't lose the ball or hit anything by mistake. Now and then Morph would get thrown too far, and would stop in midair and bounce to the ground, where he could be retrieved by his playmates.

After about ten minutes, the children took a break, and Morph changed back to his blob form. The children all grinned at him, not a trace of tears left. "Thank you for playing with us, Mr. Blob!" One of them exclaimed.

"Yeah, thank you!" The smallest of the three echoed. "You're super, super fun!"

Morph gave a smile and twirled in midair; but his smile soon vanished. Sighing, he turned himself into a replica of the vendor, complete with growling noises.

The children frowned at the sight. "He took our ball," one of them commented glumly.

"Meanie," Morph agreed, reverting back to his default form. This time he did a partial shape change, creating a mini red ball that he snatched from the air and held out to the children.

Their eyes lit up. "You'll get it back for us?" The first speaker said excitedly.

Morph nodded with his whole body, and motioned for them to follow him.

ooOoo

Morph surveyed the spotted vendor from a short distance, face scrunching in disgust. Morph was silly, but he wasn't stupid. He knew that bullies came in all shapes and sizes; and the produce vendor was just a grown-up bully. Morph really disliked bullies.

Flying low, Morph made his way under the cloth-covered table that stood on one side of the stall, a box of fresh purps on top of it. The table was connected to a series of similar tables that held other products for sale. Staying under those, Morph made his way around the stall until he spotted the cardboard box containing the red ball.

The box was only a few feet from his hiding place. Peeking out, Morph saw the vendor turn his back to him. It was as good a time as any to make a move. In one quick motion, he hopped inside the box, which was actually big enough to hide him from view.

The ball was by far the largest object in the box, and Morph quickly took hold of it. It was heavier than he expected, and his little arms trembled as he floated out of the box with his prize.

Hiding himself under the tables again, he circled around the rim of the stall. The ball was still heavy, but he was managing it. All seemed to be going well, until he bumped into a table leg.

Morph let loose a panicked noise as he lost his grip on the ball. The toy fell from his grasp, rolled a few feet, and stopped right in a patch of sunlight. Things only got worse as the vendor turned around and spotted the ball. Grunting in confusion, he stepped forward to pick it up.

But Morph moved faster. Changing into a leather boot—modeled after a pair of Jim Hawkins' shoes—, he gave the ball a good kick, sending it right to the children who waited nearby.

The tallest of the three quickly scooped up the ball. "Thank you, Mr. Blob!" He shouted.

Unfortunately, he got the vendor's attention. The jungle cat-man snapped his head in their direction. "You again?" He shouted. "Get back here, you runts!"

Morph chose that moment to fly straight into the cat-man's face. "Run!" He shouted to the children. They did as he said, bolting down the street and turning a corner.

Morph continued to heckle the cat-man, laughing mockingly, until the children were out of sight. Now that they were taken care of, it was time the vendor got a little karma. He swooped over to one of the tables and started popping blue cherries into his mouth, spitting the pits towards the vendor's feet.

The cat-man snarled. "Why, you little…" he lunged, his fingernails extending into curved claws. Morph jumped away just in time, and the cat-man's swipe sent the cherries tumbling to the ground.

"My merchandise!" The vendor yowled. Morph flew to one of the walls of the cloth tent surrounding the stall, and blew a raspberry at the enraged cat-man. The taunt resulted in another swipe of the man's hand, his claws ripping a long gash in the tent.

"When I get my hands on you, you're going to be sorry!" The man roared. Morph blew another raspberry and flew through the hole in the tent. The vendor ran after him, straight through the tent…and crashed into the stall that stood next to his.

Morph trembled with suppressed laughter as the two-fingered woman at this stall began to shout at the cat man. "What the hell do you think you're doing?" She shrieked. "What kind of stunt are you trying to pull?"

"There was a thief ruining my products," The cat-man said indignantly. "I was trying to catch him."

"Well, now you've ruined a good deal of my wares!" The woman gestured to the jars of honey and fruit preserves that lay broken on the floor.

Morph had no quarrel with the female vendor. He even felt a little guilty, seeing her products oozing across the ground. His mission with the other vendor was complete, so he made to slip away.

Before he had gotten far, though, the cat-man's eyes landed on him. "There he is!" He exclaimed, pointing straight at Morph. "It's his fault I ran into your stall!"

The woman's eyes widened. The next thing Morph knew, _both_ vendors were running at him, the woman brandishing a wooden staff. He squeaked in fright and flew into the next stall, hoping they would be less reckless with another set of products around.

No such luck. The cat-man seemed to have lost all common sense. He jumped straight into the stall Morph occupied, and Morph could swear that his eyes were turning red. The woman followed right behind him, smacking with her staff at the shelf Morph was perched on.

Morph dodged her and zipped away. Maybe flying through the stalls wasn't the best idea. He tried a different strategy, zigzagging back and forth across the road, now and then ducking underneath a tent.

The strategy worked. Within a minute Morph had lost sight of his pursuers. He could still hear their shouts, though. If only he could find…Ali and Jim! His spirits soared at the sight of the two teenagers, each one carrying two grocery bags. Without hesitation he flew over to them, shooting into Ali's coat pocket and huddling there with a whimper.

ooOoo

Even through the fabric of her coat and dress, Ali could feel Morph shivering. Her eyebrows drew together. "Morph? What happened to you?" Her eyes narrowed as two figures came up the street, walking fast. One was a cat-man, claws extended, while the other figure, a woman, held a wooden staff in two-fingered hands reminiscent of scissors.

The cat-man stomped up to Ali and Jim. "Hey, you two! Have you seen a little pink blob creature?"

The two teenagers looked at each other, and then at the cat-man. "Why do you ask?" Jim said slowly.

The man bared wickedly sharp canines. "The infernal pest destroyed both of our stalls, that's why!" He gestured to himself and to the woman.

Jim's eyes widened. "Well," he managed after a stunned moment. "That's, um, just awful. I'm sorry to hear that."

"We haven't seen any pink blob, though," Ali finished, resisting the urge to glance at her pocket.

The cat-man growled and stomped away, muttering obscenities under his breath. The two-fingered woman watched Ali and Jim for a moment in silence, then turned and followed the cat-man.

Ali looked over at Jim. "Even Morph has his limits, huh?" she muttered.

"Oh, shut up," Jim muttered back. "I think it's time for us to go."

Ali sighed. "At least we got the groceries we needed." She patted her coat pocket. "Morph, you better have a good explanation for this."

"Yeah," Morph chirped back as quietly as he could manage.

Jim shushed them both. "Let's get out of here." He and Ali started to walk, trying to look nondescript.

A sound caught Ali's attention, and she frowned. "Jim…why are you whistling?"

"It makes us seem less obvious," Jim explained.

 _Why me?_ Ali squinted at Jim, furrowing her eyebrows. "Jim, that is the most _played-out, obvious method_ for trying not to look obvious. Now cut it out." Even as she scolded him, she had to suppress a smile at the pout forming on Jim's face.

When they were about a block away from the market, Ali told Morph it was ok to come out. He flew out of her pocket and took his usual perch on her shoulder.

Ali raised an eyebrow at him. "You've got a story to tell us, I'll bet."

Morph cooed, the sound slightly guilty, and nuzzled against Ali's face, licking her cheek once.

Ali smiled. The little blob seemed so relieved to be safe and with her again; she just couldn't stay mad at him. "I can't wait to hear it."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 **Hope you all enjoyed! Leave a review and let me know what you think!**


	2. In Which Jim Makes a Mess

**HELLO EVERYONE! To any of my old readers coming back to read this new entry in my Treasure Planet universe, thank you! I started another fanfiction and thought I could keep this going at the same time; but as they were from two different fandoms that didn't work out. But I'm here now, and I hope you enjoy this episode!**

Ali walked down the hallway, a bag slung over one shoulder. As she walked, she took large bites of a purp. Reaching the stairs, she descended into the dining room of the Benbow Inn.

Jim and Sarah sat at one of the tables, along with a girl with dark skin and curly hair. Sarah had on her usual simple dress; Jim and the girl wore pajamas. All three of them were tucking into breakfast.

Ali frowned at the dark-haired girl. "Maya, why aren't you dressed? We have our shift in the psychiatric ward today."

Maya chuckled. "Ali, you're the one with the morning shift. My shift doesn't start until one, remember?"

Ali blinked, and then smiled sheepishly. "Right, sorry. Wishful thinking."

"I _would_ take the same shift as you, if I could," Maya conceded. "But that's up to the hospital, not me."

Maya was Ali's old school roommate, and an aspiring music therapist as well. Over the course of their school career, the two of them had become like sisters. Now they were doing their residencies together at the Montressor Public Hospital.

Ali went to stand behind Jim, and looped her arms around his neck. "Using your day off from flying things to be lazy?" She teased.

Jim looked over his shoulder at her. "It's not being lazy; it's a hardworking pilot regaining his strength," he said with a grin.

Ali rolled her eyes. "Yeah, okay. Turn around for a sec."

Jim turned to face his girlfriend, fairly sure of what was coming. Sure enough, Ali gave him a quick kiss, and pulled back with a smile. Then, to Jim's surprise, she leaned in again, capturing his lips in a long, slow kiss.

"What was that for?" Jim asked when Ali ended the kiss.

Ali giggled at her boyfriend's dazed expression. "I just felt like it. Can't have you forgetting about me while I'm gone."

"Yeah, cuz that's really likely," retorted Jim.

From across the table, Maya hid a smile under one hand. Four years, and Ali and Jim were still going strong.

Ali winked at Jim, and then widened her focus to the rest of the group. "I've got a bus to catch. I'll see you all later!" She headed for the front door, pulling the strap of her bag back onto her shoulder. Jim waved to Ali as she slipped out the door, a foolish smile on his face.

Meanwhile, Sarah and Maya had returned to their breakfast. "How is the food, Maya?" Sarah inquired.

"Great, as usual." Maya swallowed a bite of egg. "Thanks again for letting me stay here. Ms. Sarah." Maya was from the Montressor Spaceport, a day's trip from the public hospital, so Ali and the Hawkins had invited her to live at the Benbow during her residency.

Sarah waved away the girl's thanks with her fork. "It's our pleasure to have you, Maya. And I've told you, just call me Sarah."

"Do you think she's gone?" Jim blurted out.

Maya and Sarah looked at Jim. His expression had turned furtive, and he was still watching the door. "You mean Ali?" Sarah asked.

Jim nodded.

Maya raised an eyebrow. "Well, she has left the house. Why?"

Jim turned to the two women. "I need to talk to you two."

Sarah's eyebrows drew together in concern. "Is something wrong?"

"No…" Jim bit his lip, a very un-Jim-like action. "My and Ali's anniversary is in three days. We've been together four years, and I want to…take it further. So I'm going to try to…" Jim took a breath. "Try to…"

"You're going to propose to her!" Maya squealed, beaming.

"YOU'RE GOING TO PROPOSE TO HER?" All three humans jumped as B.E.N. burst through the kitchen door. "OH MY GOODNESS, SO ROMANTIC! You'll have such a beautiful wedding!" B.E.N. wiped an oily tear from the corner of his eye. "How about I make the wedding cake? I'm a pretty great baker, if I do say so myself—"

"B.E.N.!" Jim interrupted. "Calm down. I said I'm proposing, not that she's going to say yes."

"Please," Maya scoffed. "Of course she'll say yes. You two are practically a married couple already. The question is, how are you gonna do the proposal?"

Jim rested his chin in his hands, elbows on the table. "I don't know. That's why I wanted to talk to you and Mom. I need some advice."

"Do you have the ring?" Sarah wanted to know. Jim nodded. "So you just need the right setup to ask her."

Jim frowned. "Isn't that kind of cliché? Proposing over a candlelight dinner?"

"It would be if you didn't both usually eat meals at home," Sarah replied. "You two hardly ever eat out, let alone at somewhere so fancy."

"Ali's a curious person," Maya added. "A new restaurant, a new experience; she'll love it."

"Yeah, Jimmy!" B.E.N. interjected. "It'll be great. Oh, Ali's going to look fabulous in a wedding dress…"

Jim's heart beat faster at the image B.E.N.'s words conjured up. He inhaled deeply and told himself to relax. He needed to focus.

"Jim!" Maya's voice snapped him back to attention. "If you're going to go with this plan, you need to make a dinner reservation as soon as possible."

Jim's eyes widened. "Right. I'll take my surfer over to the restaurant; they should still be open." Leaving his breakfast unfinished—another very un-Jim-like action—, he bolted for the door and stepped out of the inn. A moment later he poked his head back inside. "Hey Mom, Maya?" He smiled. "Thanks."

Maya winked. "Good luck."

ooOoo

Ali looked around the restaurant appreciatively, as she and Jim waited at the front. "Wow. This place is _beautiful_." The walls were paneled in polished wood, the tables neatly set and covered with white tablecloths. A multitude of bubble-shaped lamps hung from the ceiling, illuminating the space in soft golden light.

"I'll say," Jim agreed. "We have a seven-thirty reservation, under the name 'Hawkins,'" he told the hostess.

The hostess smiled and grabbed two menus. "Great. Follow me." She led the pair to the back of the restaurant, and through a door to an outside table. She waited until Ali and Jim had taken their seats, and then set the menus down on the table. "A server will be here soon. Enjoy your dinner."

"Thank you," Ali said politely. As the hostess left, she took a moment to look around again. The outside seating section was less crowded than indoors, though most of the tables were still occupied. Heat lamps were placed here and there to ward off the approaching evening chill, and a marble fountain stood in the center of the space. "The décor in this place puts my mom's restaurant to shame."

"But your mom designed her place to be welcoming and comfortable, right?" Jim reminded her. "That's just as good as fanciness." He paused. "So do you like it?"

Ali took Jim's hand, which was resting on top of the table. "I do. I've never eaten here before, so it'll be a great new experience."

Jim sent a silent prayer of thanks to Maya for her input. "I'm glad. Happy anniversary." His expression turned playful. "And may I just say, you look more beautiful than usual tonight." Ali wore a short-sleeved, flowing green dress with a fabric bow that tied in the front. Her long hair was coiled into a chignon. Simple gold jewelry hung from her ears and around her neck.

Ali smiled, her cheeks turning pink. Even after four years, Jim could still make her blush. "You're looking pretty spiffy yourself." Her eyes flicked to Jim's dark blue suit, which was cut to fit his toned physique.

The tips of Jim's ears turned red. He and Ali gave each other this kind of obvious scrutiny all the time—they had been together for years, after all—, but tonight every action felt more significant. "Thanks."

He reached down to feel inside his jacket pocket, making sure the ring was still safely inside. He had decided to wait a while into the night before proposing. At the very least, he and Ali would be done with their entrees before he popped the question.

The evening progressed the way you'd expect for two lovers enjoying each other's company. Ali talked about her residency work at the hospital, smiling as she recalled some of her best patients. Jim told the story of a race he had flown against two other junior lieutenant grade pilots in the Interstellar Navy. Ali shook her head at her boyfriend's competitive streak, even as her eyes sparkled at the thought of such a fast ride. When Jim got sauce on his upper lip from his food, Ali wiped it off with her finger and sucked the sauce off her fingertip. At the sight, Jim had to resist the urge to grab her and kiss her hard. He could see in the glint of Ali's eyes that she knew it, too.

When their plates were empty, the waiter came over to collect them, and gave them dessert menus to peruse. Jim pretended to look at the menu, his heart pounding in anticipation. "Ali, can I ask you a question?"

"If you're asking me to split a dessert with you, the answer is no," Ali teased him. "I have a sweet tooth to satisfy."

"Um…no. No, it's not that."

The uncharacteristic seriousness in Jim's tone gave Ali pause. She set down her menu. "Ok, you have my attention."

"Ali…" Jim hesitated. "You know I love you a lot. The past four years of us being a couple have been amazing."

"I love you too, Jim," Ali said with a tender smile. "And I couldn't agree more."

Jim took Ali's hand in his. "I want us to keep being a couple. But I thought we could use a bit of an upgrade—"

"S'cuse me! Coming through! Oh, so sorry!" The loud, familiar voice made both Ali and Jim turn. Jim bit back a curse as B.E.N. rolled his way up to their table.

"B.E.N.?" Ali said in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, just thought I'd come see my favorite couple on their anniversary," B.E.N. replied cheerfully. "I wanted to see if Jimmy had asked you—"

"No, I haven't asked her what she wants for dessert!" Jim blurted out. He wanted to strangle B.E.N. for barging in and interrupting. "We're still deciding."

Ali raised an eyebrow. "Jim, why are you shouting?"

"Uh, no reason," Jim said weakly. "B.E.N., I just remembered I had something I wanted to talk to you about, in private." He stood up and grabbed one of B.E.N.'s arms. "I'll be right back," he told Ali.

Ali frowned. "...Ok."

Jim gave her what he hoped was a convincing smile, and then towed B.E.N. inside the restaurant. "What do you think you're doing?" He demanded once they were out of earshot.

"I want to be here when you propose to Ali," B.E.N. said enthusiastically. "I was thinking I could even help!"

Jim dragged a hand down his face. "Thanks for the offer," he forced the words out. "But I don't think that's a good idea."

"What? Why not!" B.E.N. protested.

 _Because you'll mess it up._ "Because it's something I need to do myself. Just me, and Ali."

B.E.N. considered this for a moment, and then nodded. "Right, right, I get it. It's a special moment for both of you. I'll just watch, then."

Jim was about to protest this as well, but then stopped. B.E.N. was a good friend with good intentions. Also, he could be very sensitive about rejections. "Fine. But watch _from a distance_."

B.E.N. gave a salute. "Aye-aye, Jimmy!"

Shaking his head, Jim turned and walked back to the table where Ali was waiting.

"What was that all about?" Ali asked as Jim sat back down.

"Just B.E.N. being B.E.N.," Jim said, trying to be casual. "You know how sentimental he is. I think he's been getting bored staying at the Benbow most of the time, too. He probably came here partially to explore."

"So that's what you were talking to him about?" Ali said skeptically.

"Well…" Jim scrambled for an explanation. "I was really trying to get him to leave us alone without being mean to him. I want tonight to be just you and me." There. That was all true; he had just left out a couple of details.

Ali seemed to accept this explanation. She tilted her head and chuckled. "B.E.N. can get so overenthusiastic sometimes…well, most of the time really. So what was it you wanted to say to me?"

"I'm glad you asked." Jim's hand went again to his pocket. "I'm so happy to be with you, and I would be even happier if…" he trailed off as he felt around inside his pocket, and found only emptiness. The ring was gone.

Ali frowned as Jim's voice petered out. She watched at his eyes widened to the size of saucers. "Jim?"

"Oh!" Jim clutched at his midsection as dramatically as he could manage. "Oh, my stomach!"

"Jim?" Ali said again, her voice alarmed. "What's wrong?"

"I think something in my dinner isn't going down well." Jim did his best to keep up a grimace. "I better step out for a minute."

"Do you want me to come with you? I can help you find the bathroom." Ali started to rise.

"No!" Jim said in panic. "I mean, no. Don't worry." He scrunched up his face again. "I can find it. Just…go ahead and order dessert. I'll be back in a bit."

"Are you sure?" Ali pressed her lips together in concern.

"Totally sure. Just sit down; I'll be back." He made a beeline for the inside of the restaurant, keeping his hands pressed to his stomach.

When he was sure Ali couldn't see him, he dropped his hands and looked around frantically. He must have dropped the ring somewhere. But where? Even if he was in the right spot, someone could have stepped on it or knocked it in a different direction. What were the chances it was even intact?

"Hey, Jimmy!" Jim jerked to the left to find B.E.N. wheeling towards him. "What's up?"

"B.E.N.! You've got to help me!"

"Anything for you, buddy! So what's the deal?"

Jim leaned a little closer to the bot. "I lost the ring."

"WHAT?! YOU LOST—"

Jim clamped B.E.N.'s mouth shut with both hands, several curse words going off inside his head. "Quiet! I need you to help me find it. I think I dropped it when I came to talk to you earlier." An idea struck him. "Hey, do you have some kind of sensor or scanner that would help you find it?"

B.E.N. shook his head. "I was built before any of that high-tech stuff existed. If it was a huge ship we needed to find, no problem. But a ring, not so much."

Jim made a face. "Let's just start looking. Ali could come to check on me any minute."

The two of them started to search, scanning the floor for any sign of the ring. "Come on, come on," Jim muttered.

Just when they were about to give up, B.E.N. let out a gasp. Jim looked over at the bot. "What is it?" He asked in a rush. "Did you find it?"

"Yes!" B.E.N. replied triumphantly. "It's right over there." He pointed to one of the chairs at an occupied table. Sure enough, a silvery band of metal sat against one of the chair legs. "Now we just have to…" B.E.N. trailed off as the older gentleman in the seat brought his foot sharply back, sending the ring skittering across the floor. "Oh, no."

"Get it!" Jim yelped. He dodged through the crowd of people, as the ring picked up speed and rolled out the door. He followed it in a panic, dodging a waitress who was carrying a full tray of drinks. The ring was just out of his reach, and a part of him protested the idea of a ring outrunning him. He could hear B.E.N. following behind him, yelling encouragements that really didn't help.

As he continued to chase the troublesome piece of jewelry, he realized that his path would take him right into Ali's line of sight. _Shit, shit, shit._

ooOoo

"How is your dessert, ma'am?" The waiter inquired.

"It's great," Ali replied with a smile. "Thank you."

"But where has your date gone?" The waiter asked, raising his eyebrows. "Did something happen?"

Ali smiled, appreciating her server's concern. "He just had to step out for a little while; minor stomach problems. I'm sure he'll be back before long."

A series of shouts made Ali look straight ahead. People crossing between tables, either on their way in or out, let out gasps or indignant cries as a young man dodged and weaved between them at a frantic pace. Ali's mouth dropped open as she recognized the man, and the robot chasing after him. _"Jim?"_

Jim continued to run, his eyes wide even from Ali's viewpoint. He reached the center of the outdoor seating area, and lunged for the ground in front of the fountain. He seemed to pick something up off the ground and hold it in his hand, chest heaving from exertion.

Ali stood up from her chair. "What in high heavens…" She strode towards Jim.

B.E.N. got there first. He rolled rapidly up to Jim, chattering loudly. "Jimmy! Did you get it? I really hope you got it!"

In his excitement, he forgot to stop moving, and crashed into Jim at full speed. Jim yelped. His arms pin wheeled for a moment, as he tried to regain his balance. Then he tumbled backwards into the fountain, water splashing everywhere.

"Jim!" Ali ran to her boyfriend, who was attempting to sit up while still in the fountain. His clothes and hair were dripping wet. When he saw Ali he looked down, his face turning the color of a cranberry.

Ali squatted down in front of Jim. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Jim muttered. He managed to pull himself onto the edge of the fountain, eyes still downcast. "Ali, I am so sorry."

"What happened? You were gone, and then you were racing around." Ali saw Jim glance around. She copied him, and realized that everyone in the restaurant was staring at them. Seeing Jim's face redden even more under the scrutiny, Ali took pity on him. "Never mind, you can explain later. Let's go home."

Quickly Ali paid the check, as Jim got to his feet and tried to squeeze water out of his coat. One of the restaurant staff approached him with a towel, and he accepted it with a mumbled thank you.

He had managed to keep hold of the ring during his fall; but that was the only bit of luck he could claim in this disaster. To top it off, B.E.N. had conveniently disappeared after running into him.

Ali rejoined Jim, and the couple departed, going around the side of the restaurant so as not to get the floor wet. Ali looked at Jim sidelong as they walked. Jim's head hung low, and he moved slower than usual. He had removed his suit jacket, and had a towel wrapped around his shoulders. "Would it help if I went back and dunked myself in the fountain?" Ali tried with a smile.

Jim lifted his head to look at her. "Ali, I am so sorry. I wanted this to be a special night. But I was so stupid, and clumsy, and—"

"It _was_ a special night," Ali broke in. "We had a wonderful dinner together; and someday we're going to laugh at the fountain part."

Jim looked away. "You don't understand."

"I understand that you're beating yourself up about something that wasn't your fault." Ali took Jim's hand, heedless of the water that dripped from his shirtsleeve. "Listen, I have an idea for when we get home. Is your solar surfer charged up?"

Jim frowned. "Yeah…"

"I think we should go on an evening flight. There's enough light left that we'll have at least a little time to fly. You can put on some dry clothes, and then we can go?"

Jim considered the woman walking beside him. She was smiling at him encouragingly, and gave his hand a squeeze as their gazes locked. Even after he had made a complete idiot of himself, she was still trying to make the best of it. "I love you."

Ali's smile broadened. "I love you too. So, what do you say?"

Jim thought for another moment. A sunset flight…that just might be his second chance. "Let's do it."

ooOoo

Maya and Sarah stared as Ali and Jim entered the inn. They had expected the two to return with good news; not for Jim to come back soaking wet. "What _happened_?" Maya asked incredulously.

"Long story," Jim answered with a sigh. He and Ali headed up the stairs, not giving Maya or Sarah the chance to question them further. In their respective rooms, they changed clothes. Jim dried himself off, and threw on olive green pants and a yellow top with his usual boots. Carefully he stowed the ring in a small pocket, which he zipped closed. Ali let her hair down, and replaced her fancy outfit with leggings, a short sleeveless dress, and her own casual pair of boots. They met in the hallway, and dashed outside to get on the solar surfer.

They flew for perhaps half an hour, switching off now and then as pilot. They played to their usual strengths—Jim with stunts, Ali with speed. Shrieks and whoops of glee rang through the air around them. Jim shouted when Ali flew so fast he thought she might break the sound barrier. Ali laughed. She loved that she could still make Jim react that way.

Eventually they flew back and parked behind the Benbow, flushed and breathless from the ride. The wind had dried Jim's hair, though he was sure it looked like a mess.

Ali brushed a strand of her own hair out of her face. "That was fun. You feeling better, Jim?"

Jim smiled fondly at her. "Much. It's been too long since we flew together."

Ali returned his smile. "I think this was a better end to the night than a fancy dinner. As nice as that was, we're not really fancy people."

Jim laughed. "True." He snagged Ali's waist in one arm and pulled her close. "Happy anniversary."

"Happy anniversary." Ali looped her arms around Jim's neck and pressed her lips to his. For a minute or two they were very preoccupied with this new activity. Then Ali pulled back, out of the curve of Jim's arms.

Jim frowned. "Is something wrong?"

Ali shoved her hands into her dress pockets. Her cheeks were flushed and her lips swollen from the makeout session. Though Jim sincerely appreciated that image, the look on Ali's face worried him. "There's something I need to say to you," She said slowly. "I'm just not sure how to do it."

Jim raised his eyebrows. He knew something was off when Ali was at a loss for words. "Ali, whatever it is, you know you can tell me."

Ali looked at him from under her lashes. "I've been working up the nerve to say it all night, so don't laugh."

Jim's brows furrowed. "Okay…"

Ali took a deep breath, and nodded. Then in one quick move, she stepped closer, pulled something small out of her pocket, and held it out. "Will you marry me?"

Jim gaped. For a few seconds he looked back and forth between Ali's face and the ring in her fingers, making the occasional sputtering sound. Then a throaty chuckle escaped from his mouth, slowly swelling into full-blown guffaws.

Ali pulled her hand back. "You said you wouldn't laugh!" Her voice trembled. "Do you know how much courage it took me to ask you that?"

"You don't understand," Jim said, still chuckling. "All my weirdness at dinner, and falling into the fountain— _I_ made a fool of myself trying to propose to _you_!"

Ali's mouth dropped open. _"What?"_

"I'm serious! Look…" Jim hastily extracted the ring in his pocket. "See? This was meant for you!"

Ali mimicked Jim's earlier reaction, looking back and forth between Jim and the ring. Then an elated grin spread across her face. "Then I guess you better ask me."

Jim frowned. "What?"

"After all the work you put in, you should get a chance to propose too." Ali winked.

"Oh." Jim blinked. Initially the suggestion seemed pointless, after what Ali had done. Then again, Jim _did_ want to say he had made a semi-eloquent proposal. He cleared his throat and held out the ring in his hand. "Ali, I am so in love with you. Like, the kind of love that seems totally cheesy and cliché until you find it and realize how amazing it is. I want to always be with you. Will you marry me?"

Ali looked ready to burst. "Answer each other at the same time?"

Jim grinned. "Right; on three. One…"

"Two…"

"YES!" They shouted in unison. They slipped the rings on to each other's fingers; and then Jim lifted Ali off of her feet with a whoop. He spun her around, over and over again until he grew dizzy and sent them both toppling to the ground. Ali recovered from the fall without issue. With a laugh, she leaned over and kissed Jim so deeply that he thought he was spinning again. Finally she pulled away and sat up, her heart dancing a jig inside her chest. Jim sat up as well, and draped an arm around her shoulders.

Ali rested her head on his chest. "This is just like us, to propose to each other on the same night."

Jim laughed. "All in a night's work. At least it isn't boring."

Ali grinned. "I'll say." She brought her ring closer to her face, examining it in detail. The band was silver, or maybe white gold, with little diamonds set in two spots on each side. The center stone was a square-cut emerald, surrounded by a border of yet more diamonds.

Ali's breath caught as she stared at the green stone. She looked up at Jim, eyes wide. "That stone…is it…"

"The emerald from Treasure Planet?" Jim finished. "Yeah, it is."

Ali's face softened in wonder. "You kept it all this time?"

"I wanted to save it for something special. And, well," Jim smiled crookedly. "I decided this was special enough for it."

Ali's heart leapt, and tears pricked the corners of her eyes. She wrapped her arms around Jim's torso and hugged hard enough to make him gasp. "You're incredible." Her voice was muffled against Jim's chest.

Jim returned the hug, and then raised one hand to examine his own engagement ring. It was a simple white gold band, with a braided pattern around the middle.

Ali turned her head to look. "That's a sailor's knot pattern. I thought it was fitting. It doesn't hold a candle to the ring you brought me, though."

"You don't use rings to hold candles," Jim teased. "Or if you do, you're using them wrong."

Ali rolled her eyes. "You're an idiot, you know that?"

"Yep." Jim grinned. "I love the ring, Ali. This isn't a contest of whose is better; so let's not make it into one. Ok?"

"Fair enough," Ali conceded. She settled back into the curve of Jim's arm, and sighed. Jim wrapped his other arm around Ali's waist; and the two of them closed their eyes.

Their moment of peace was interrupted when the door to the inn banged open. "Ali? Jim?" Sarah's voice called.

"Where the heck are you two?" Maya's voice added, considerably louder.

Ali snorted. "We better go and meet them before they find us."

Jim made a face, and reluctantly allowed Ali to stand up. "They'll want to hear the news."

Ali grabbed Jim's hand and pulled him to his feet. "Better brace yourself. Got any earplugs?"

"Sadly, no. But if B.E.N.'s in there, he's going to get an earful from _me_ for tripping me." Jim kept a hold on Ali's hand even after he was standing. They started to walk, and he repositioned his hand so that his fingers were intertwined with Ali's.

"You know that was an accident. Let's just go in and let them have their fun." Ali winced as Maya shouted her name again. "Yes, Maya, we're here!" To Jim she said, "Promise me one thing."

"What's that?"

Ali smirked. "Promise me we'll be more organized when we're planning the wedding."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 **Wow. I made Jim really clumsy, and Ali X Jim REALLY touchy-feely. I've had the restaurant part of this idea in my head for ages, but I couldn't think how to flesh it out until now. Hope you enjoyed it; please leave a review!**


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